Moving into the next set of Galleries in the Exhibition "The Star We Do Not See" at the National Gallery of Art, we are introduced to a relatively recent form of indigenous art--that of painting on the stretched and flattened bark of the Eucalyptus tree. Starting in the 18th century, English explorers provided this medium to native artists in order to have a portable canvas that could be taken in trade for resale, or displayed in more conventional ways.
Prior to this the artists, which were all men, recorded their works on stone. The subject matter remained the same, the recording of history, or sacred stories and events, but the medium made production of art in some ways more convenient and accessible. Eventually, this led to women challenging the male dominated vocation. Although, hundreds of years would have passed before this revolution came to fruition.
Throughout the entire exhibition, women play a prominent role, and the transition of women into the various forms of art is well documented in the accompanying narrative.
As a preview, I anticipate 4 more sections to share, which (along with the introduction) will come to seven parts.
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